After the Funeral

AFTER THE FUNERAL

         After the service the mourners shuffled past the casket covered with flowers. and
then departed leaving the workers to finish filling in the grave.


         Ken looked around at all his friends and loved ones he hadn’t seen in years.

         “It was a nice funeral, the preacher gave a nice sermon.” Ken’s mother said

         “Yes it was a lovely service,” His Aunt Cathy said “The flowers are beautiful.
There were people I haven’t seen in years. My haven’t the twins grown!”

         “They start high school this year don’t they, Ken?” Asked his mother.

         “No next year, they are in Jr. high this year. Jimmy played football for the
seventh grade team last fall, they won the championship. Sam played baseball, he hit a grand slam in the last game I.... got to go to......”

         “Did it happen at the game?” asked his mother.

         “No, the next morning, I was helping Mary with some house work, I started to feel weak, and had a strange pain. Mary took one look at me and called 911. They came, and took me to the hospital. I haven’t been home since”

         Ricky Moore was there to. Ken used to work with him at the plant before it shut down in the ‘80s. “Ken, I didn’t expect to see you for a few more years.” Ricky said ”Funny, around here one tends to hope not to meet up with old friends.”

         “Ricky, you remember my twin sons. You used to go to watch them play ball”

         “ Yes I remember them. Fine lads they are; you should be proud. I also remember betting you that my son’s little league team would beat your son’s,” Ricky said. “And you still owe me ten bucks,” he added with a laugh.

         “ I forgot about that”

         “Well, you’ll remember a lot. After all that is about all you have here... your
memories.

         “ What about, Ben, He is your oldest isn’t he?” Ricky asked.

         “Yes, Ben is 20 years old”

         “How is he doing?”

         “I Haven’t seen him in about a year, We had a fight over something stupid, and he ran off”

         Ken looked around and saw his old friend Eddy “Eddy, man have I miss you.”

         “Its been years” Eddy said “haven’t seen you since that drag race over on the mountain road.” Eddy shook his head “ I did some stupid things, didn’t I?”

         “Look on the bright side,” Ricky said. “ You won’t be doing anything that stupid again” Ricky always has a strange sense of humor.

         “Eddy, remember Mr. Murphy, our high school principal?” Ken asked Eddy
ignoring Ricky’s remark.

         “Yes I remember him” Eddy said “I haven’t thought about him in years”

         “He was always down on you for one thing or another.” Ken said

         “ He was always on my case saying I was a sluggard and wasting my time with my car. When I should be studing or doing something, as he would say
useful.” Eddy said “he even said to me “One day you’ll kill your self with that car”

         “I thought Mr Murphy would be here, isn't he here?” asked Ken

         “Oh yes, Mr Murphy was here, but he dosen’t show up any more” Eddy replyed

         “Oh he doesn’t come out anymore, havn’t seen him in years” Ken’s mother said

         “That happens.... when people are forgoten” said Aunt Cathy

         “Seams like nobody liked Old Murphy,” Ricky said “Never gets any visitors.
My Grand Ma use to say “Being forgotten, is death to the dead” Never knew what she meant by that till now.”

         “It was certainly was a nice service” Ken’s mother repeated

         “I just wish Ben was here” Ken said.

         “You shouldn’t blame your self, he’s got his own life, you can’t live it for him.”
She said

         “He was here, I saw him he was right next to me during the service” called out Mr. McCain. Mr. McCain was a friend of the family. He was like a father to Ken, after his real dad ran off with his secretary when Ken was six years old. He took him to ball games at Yankee Stadium every summer.

         “Yes he was here, Mr. Billings, I saw him too.” Bill Simon said. Bill was Ben’s
best friend in high school. Ken hadn’t seen him since he went off to fight in the Gulf war. He look just as he remembered him in his uniform, at the dinner party the neighborhood threw for him the night before he left. “Its been a long time since I seen him, but no mistake it was him.” Bill said

         They all turn and watched as a car drove up the road. Ben Billings got out and walked over and knelt by his father’s grave. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you died. I will never be able to forgive myself for running away after that fight we had.” Ben cried, “Wish I could have told you I love you.”

         Ken reached out toward Ben wishing he could hold him one more time “I love
you too, Son.”